Podcast appearances and mentions of kyle racki

Summary In this conversation, Matt Symes and Kyle Racki discuss strategies for appointment-based businesses to better meet customer needs, emphasizing the importance of flexibility, capacity management, and understanding customer demand. They highlight the significance of creating a business model that allows for profitability while being responsive to customer requests. The discussion also covers the need for businesses to prioritize customer experience and retention, as well as the role of leadership in identifying and solving core business problems effectively.   Takeaways Understanding customer needs is crucial for appointment-based businesses. Flexibility in scheduling can enhance customer satisfaction. A business model should be resilient and profitable at 80% capacity. Last-minute appointments can be more valuable than regular bookings. Policies should prioritize customer needs over business convenience. Identifying core problems is essential for business improvement. Leadership plays a key role in shaping customer service strategies. Seasonality affects customer demand and should be considered in planning. Businesses should track missed appointment opportunities to improve. Creating a customer-first culture can lead to long-term success.   "keywords": [ "customer service", "appointment-based business", "flexibility", "profitability", "customer retention", "business model", "leadership", "quick response service", "capacity management", "core problems" ]   

Proposify launched in 2013 and grew to $6m revenue by 2019 before things got scary. The business was burning $400k/month, product started to stall, and a layoff was needed. How did CEO Kyle Racki announce the 25 person layoff? Is the company profitable today? Are they growing again?

In this episode, Matt Symes and Kyle Racki discuss the critical importance of cash flow management for small businesses, particularly those run by technician founders. Matt emphasizes the common pitfalls of neglecting cash flow, the significance of invoicing and accounts receivable, and strategies to improve cash flow. The discussion also covers the challenges of client payments and the necessity of building financial health for sustainable growth.   Takeaways: Many small business owners neglect cash flow management. Understanding the cash equation is crucial for business success. Invoicing processes can significantly impact cash flow. Cash flow strategies must evolve as the business scales. Access to credit should be secured before it's needed. Pricing strategies can influence cash flow positively. Knowing your break-even point is vital for financial planning. Understanding client payment behaviors can aid cash management. Financial health is foundational for business growth.   Chapters:   00:00 Understanding Cash Flow in Small Businesses 02:54 The Importance of Invoicing and Accounts Receivable 06:09 Strategies for Improving Cash Flow 09:00 Navigating Client Payments and Cash Management 12:01 Building Financial Health for Sustainable Growth

Matt Symes and Kyle Racki discuss the importance of attracting the right clients for businesses. They explore a simple exercise to assess your current client base and discuss how to evaluate if clients are paying the right amount for your services. Matt provides insight on how to qualify your potential clients in order to filter out poor fits and leverage referral networks to make mailbox money.   Takeaways: It is important for businesses to attract the right clients who pay the right amount off the service. Conducting a customer analysis can help identify the top and bottom 5% of clients to inform next steps in sales and marketing. Qualifying customers through methods like referral networks and qualifying questions helps filter out poor fits.  Chapters: 0:00 Introduction and Importance of Attracting the Right Clients 1:00 Assessing the Right Clients Through Customer Analysis 3:24 Different Types of Clients and Behaviors 5:44 Qualifying Customers for Better Fit 9:23 Filtering Out Poor Fit Clients 10:49 The Value of the Levership Program   Ready to Take Your Business to the Next Level? Go here: https://levership.com/free-strategy-call Want to learn more about what Levership does for small business owners? Go here: https://levership.com/

In this episode, Matt Symes and Kyle Racki discuss the importance a high-performing team can make in driving a business' success. They highlight the challenges of finding and retaining the right people and emphasize the need for a clear understanding of the skills and competencies required for each role. They also discuss the importance of strategic thinking and prioritizing the most critical issues in order to drive business growth.    Takeaways:  Building and managing effective teams can do wonders for business success. You need to map out the skills and competencies you need to deliver value and work backwards to hire and develop the right people and skills. Prioritizing critical issues is a key to driving strategic business growth. The Levership program helps businesses at different stages of growth optimize their operations and achieve their goals.    Chapters:    1:20 Chapter 1 - The Biggest Challenges of Building a Team 3:05 Chapter 2 - The Strategic Map 5:48 Chapter 3 - The Hiring Sequence (Who to Hire & When) 7:45 Chapter 4 -  The #1 Mistake Businesses Make With Their Resources 9:05 Chapter 5 - Exploring Creative Staffing Solutions to FTE 10:47 Chapter 6 - The Key to Good Strategy  12:50 Chapter 7 - The Big Levers  13:40 Chapter 8 - The Value of Team Involvement in Strategy   Ready to Take Your Business to the Next Level? Go here: https://levership.com/free-strategy-call  Want to learn more about what Levership does for small business owners? Go here: https://levership.com/

Today, we uncover the secrets to winning more deals, closing more sales, and ultimately making more money. Joining us is Kyle Racki the CEO of Proposify.His platform has sent over 10 million proposals and today he's sharing actionable data and tips. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a leader, or anyone responsible for sales, you won't want to miss this!Show notes:00:00:00 - Introduction: Winning More Deals00:01:30 - The Importance of Sales for Entrepreneurs: Discussing common feelings about sales and the focus on proposals.00:03:30 - Meet Kyle Racky: From Agency Owner to Software Founder00:06:00 - The Birth of Proposify: Solving Proposal Pain Points00:10:00 - Why You Need a Proposals: The importance of proposals in winning big deals and increasing professionalism.00:14:00 - Structuring Your Proposal: Key Sections to Include: Detailed breakdown of the essential sections in a proposal.00:17:00 - Executive Summary and Personalization: How to craft an effective executive summary and personalize your proposal.00:21:00 - Detailing the Approach and Scope of Work: Describing your process and deliverables to justify the project scope and cost.00:25:00 - Pricing and Packages: Presenting Your Investment: How to frame pricing as an investment and the benefits of offering packages and add-ons.00:30:00 - Tips for Increasing Proposal Close Rates: Strategies for improving your close rates, including e-signatures and smaller initial engagements.Also, Kyle was nice to share a bonus with the Leadmore Community. You can get 30% off your first year at Proposify. Simply sign up for their free 14-day trial at https://app.proposify.com/register and when you upgrade to a paid account, choose the Basic Annual Plan and use the coupon code “leadmore” to redeem your discount.

saas.unbound is a podcast for and about founders who are working on scaling inspiring products that people love, brought to you by https://saas.group/, a serial acquirer of B2B SaaS companies. In episode #32, Anna Nadeina talks with Kyle, Co-Founder and CEO at Proposify, the online proposal software that gives you the control and visibility you need to better manage your sales document process.Subscribe to our channel to be the first to see the interviews that we publish twice a week - https://www.youtube.com/@saas-group Stay up to date: Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaaS_group LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/14790796

In this episode of Levership, Kyle Racki talks with Jeff Dudan, a published author, Forbes contributor, host of the On the Homefront podcast, and founder of Avanta Clean and Homefront Brands, and the Dudan Group.  During this conversation, we will cover topics such as Jeff Dudan's journey, including his fusion of technology and traditional businesses, how he got started in private equity, and his lessons learned on the TV show, Undercover Boss.  Takeaways The first two questions you need to ask yourself when you start a business: Who is the customer and what problem do you solve for them? Who is the natural owner for this business?  Think big, and stay away from creating self-limiting beliefs and obstacles that don't exist, then articulate and refine your plan to create something spectacular.  Check out Jeff Dudan's podcast, On The Homefront, on Spotify and Apple Podcasts  

► B2B SAAS GROWTH PLAYBOOK!Sam talks to Kyle Racki, Co-Founder @ ProposifyThey cover:

Join Matt Symes and Kyle Racki as they dive deep into the nuances of leadership, performance, and organizational growth. From the significance of clear direction to the dangers of micromanagement, our guests unravel what it takes to build high-performing teams. With insights into the role of technology like ChatGPT in coaching and the essence of intrinsic motivation, this episode is a treasure trove for leaders and aspiring changemakers. Discover strategies to enhance your leadership style, promote continuous learning, and create an environment where everyone thrives. 1. The Value of Direction and Execution: Need for leaders to instill a sense of direction. Pitfalls of relying solely on memory for decisions. Ebenhaus's Curve and information retention. The importance of regular reflection and assessment. 2. Approaches to Performance and Improvement: Top-down vs. bottom-up approaches. The role of post-mortems and weekly reviews. Setting goals and consistent reflection. 3. Matt Symes on Effective Leadership: The power of regular reviews and observations. Implementing daily stand-ups or intention-setting meetings. Aligning organizational purpose with individual passions. Significance of mastery and skill development. Intrinsic motivation: purpose, mastery, autonomy, and relatedness. 4. Embracing Technology for Coaching: Use of ChatGPT in coaching and skill development. Deliberate practice and setting realistic goals. Kyle Racki's experience with ChatGPT in coaching. Promoting continuous learning and skill acquisition. 5. Managing vs. Micromanaging: Kyle on the traits of micromanagers. The balance between hands-off and prescriptive management. Creating an environment of clarity and support. Improving processes before focusing on individual performance. Building a team dynamic: respect, healthy conflict, shared mission. 6. Motivating and Demotivating Factors: Kyle Racki on demotivating factors for high performers. Emphasizing purpose and creating a supportive environment. Conclusion: Leadership strategies and enhancing organizational processes. Podcast Description: Join Matt Symes and Kyle Racki as they dive deep into the nuances of leadership, performance, and organizational growth. From the significance of clear direction to the dangers of micromanagement, our guests unravel what it takes to build high-performing teams. With insights into the role of technology like ChatGPT in coaching and the essence of intrinsic motivation, this episode is a treasure trove for leaders and aspiring changemakers. Discover strategies to enhance your leadership style, promote continuous learning, and create an environment where everyone thrives.      

We have a major change in the federal government's Joint Employer policy. Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Public Affairs Michael Layman walks us through the changes from the NLRB, the wide open and harmful Joint Employer standard, and where this fight will go next. Also on today's show, a spotlight on supplier member Proposify. CEO Kyle Racki shares ideas on getting control of your sales process and trends with service brands.

Podcast Description: In this enlightening episode of The Racki and Symes Podcast, hosts Matt Symes and Kyle Racki dissect the far-reaching influence of a CEO's mindset and energy on an organization. From lessons learned from tech moguls to real-life examples, they break down why a CEO's disposition directly impacts a company's culture, performance, and ethics. Tune in to gain actionable insights into personal development, leadership skills, and continuous reinvention for CEOs and entrepreneurs alike. Show Notes: Episode Highlights: Introduction Kyle Racki and Matt Symes discuss the importance of a CEO's mindset and energy on an organization. CEO's Mindset and Energy The case of Travis Kalanick from Uber and Brian Chesky from Airbnb. The role of the CEO in setting the pace and culture of the organization. Matt Symes shares his experiences with making personnel decisions. Strategies for self-awareness and breaking through bureaucracy. Understanding Company Values and Unintended Consequences A deep dive into the history of Nike and the ethical challenges it has faced. The importance of codifying values and being vigilant of unintended consequences. Kyle Racki discusses the responsibilities and dilemmas of leading a growing organization. How seeking feedback and surrounding yourself with like-minded entrepreneurs can help. Importance of Skill Acquisition Kyle Racki talks about how acquiring new skills can be a game-changer. Matt Symes on spaced repetition and self-reflection for skill enhancement. The role of good coaching and peer environment in personal development. Continuous Reinvention and Personal Growth Navigating a rapidly changing market and the importance of staying ahead. Investing in oneself for organizational impact. Inspiration and Regular Checks Kyle Racki's The Bear example emphasizing the importance of seeking inspiration. Matt Symes talks about his regular meetings with fellow entrepreneurs for mutual growth. Recommended Resources: Book Recommendations Upcoming Events Mentoring Programs Tune in to this episode to equip yourself with the tools and mindset to elevate not just yourself but your entire organization. The role of a CEO extends far beyond the boardroom; it shapes the very culture and direction of the company. Learn how to wield this influence effectively with Matt Symes and Kyle Racki.

In this passionate and thought-provoking episode of The Racki & Symes Podcast, co-hosts Kyle Racki and Matt Symes dive headfirst into one of the most relevant and contentious discussions in today's modern work landscape: remote work vs. in-office culture. Listen as Kyle, a firm believer in the flexibility and individual productivity that remote work offers, defends the idea of a decentralized work environment. He emphasizes the potential for increased work-life balance, cost savings, and how remote work can leverage the digital age to bring together a diverse global talent pool. Meanwhile, Matt, an advocate for in-office culture, passionately argues the merits of physical workspace. He underscores the benefits of face-to-face collaboration, the spontaneous generation of ideas often only found in communal settings, and how shared physical spaces help foster a strong organizational culture and identity. The duo approach this topic with depth and wit, bringing to light research findings, personal experiences, and insightful anecdotes. They challenge each other but also find common ground, ultimately aiming to offer listeners a comprehensive view of this complex subject. Whether you're an executive making decisions about your company's work policies, a manager looking to lead a distributed team effectively, or an employee contemplating your ideal work setting, this episode promises to provide rich perspectives that will make you think, rethink and look forward to the future of work in a whole new light. Stay tuned to The Racki & Symes Podcast as they peel back the layers on this and many more topics that are shaping the way we work and live. Free Course: SaaS Metrics Uncovered

In this episode, Kyle Racki and Matt Symes, unpack a vital topic that every entrepreneur should tune into - investing in your business and letting go of small-scale thinking. Does the idea of scaling your business or investing in growth make you hesitant? Have you ever felt confined by your own mindset, unable to visualize the broader horizon of potential? This episode is tailored just for you. Don't allow your mindset to cap your business's potential. Tune in and prepare to break through these confines, one strategic investment at a time. Get ready to adopt the mantra - think big, invest wisely, and scale your enterprise. This episode is set to inspire, enlighten, and above all, equip you to make the leap. Join Kyle and Matt on "The Racki & Symes Podcast" as they challenge you to dream bigger and invest more boldly. It's time to ignite your entrepreneurial spirit and reimagine what's possible for your business.

In the latest episode of their podcast, Kyle Racki and Matt Symes discuss the book "The Crux: How Leaders Excel by Finding the One Thing That Matters" by Richard P. Rumelt. The book explores the importance of identifying the central challenge facing a business or organization and developing a strategy to overcome it. Rumelt argues that many organizations fail to identify their core challenge, instead relying on vague and generic strategies that do not address the unique problems facing the company. By identifying the crux, or central challenge, leaders can develop a clear and focused strategy that is more likely to succeed.

Matt Symes and Kyle Racki discuss the various options available for financing the purchase of a business. They delve into the pros and cons of using traditional bank loans, seller financing, and other alternative financing methods. Along the way, they also touch on the importance of due diligence, the role of valuations, and how to negotiate the best deal possible. Whether you're a first-time buyer or an experienced entrepreneur, this episode offers valuable insights for anyone looking to acquire a business.

Kyle Racki, the co-founder and CEO of Proposify, Kyle helps thousands of businesses remove the bottleneck of proposals and get more visibility into the close. In true serial entrepreneur form, Kyle also co-host his own podcast, The Racki and Symes Podcast, where he discusses ideas and strategies to push through growth.Kyle got his start in marketing and design, and ran a digital agency for over five years before selling it and starting Proposify.Since then he's amassed a wealth of experience and lessons that he shares with us in this episode.In episode 15, Kyle lays out the framework of the job of a CEO and some of the important pieces they're faced with including: creating vision and auditing values, building out the executive team (title politics are real), hiring leadership contextually, having difficult conversations and holding people accountable.He even offers a tool to conceptualize cash concerns that are big on the mind during periods of recession.Listen to the full episode to hear more from Kyle!

Kyle Racki is the CEO and co-founder of Proposify, software that helps thousands of businesses remove the bottleneck of proposals and get more visibility into the close. Based in Halifax, Canada, Kyle and Proposify have won multiple awards over the years, including the EY Tech Entrepreneur of the Year for Atlantic Canada and Deloitte Fast 50. In addition to running Proposify, Kyle also works with other companies and startups as an investor and strategic coach, and sits on the board of Bright and MarsVR. He co-hosts a weekly business podcast, The Racki Symes Podcast.Support the show

Kyle Racki is the co-founder & CEO of Proposify. On today's episode we're talking about the importance of proposals and why Kyle believes that proposals "the most important stage of the sales process." We explore how you can differentiate your proposal to close a deal. And we dig into some of the key findings from research Kyle and his team did on winning proposals that are contained in Proposify's State of Proposals Report. Including: why 2 page proposals had the highest close rate by far. The 7 sections that must be in a winning proposal. And why images in a proposal can make the difference. It's all good stuff. We get into all of this and much, much more. More on Andy: Connect on LinkedIn Pre-Order Andy's new book on Amazon Learn more at AndyPaul.com Sponsored by: Revenue.io | Unlock exponential growth with an AI-powered RevOps platform | Revenue.io Scratchpad | The fastest way to update Salesforce, take sales notes, and stay on top of to-dos | Scratchpad.com Blueboard | World's leading experiential rewards & recognition platform | Blueboard.com Explore the Revenue.io Podcast Universe: Sales Enablement Podcast Selling with Purpose Podcast RevOps Podcast

Email, cold calls, and LinkedIn messages are all great avenues to connect with your prospect.  But perhaps the most underutilized component of the sales process is (spoiler alert) the proposal itself. Whether you're a newly established business or one of international renown, an enticing proposal dramatically helps your business efforts. And today, Donald is joined by co-founder and CEO of Proposify, Kyle Racki, to learn how sales leaders and teams can understand the power of the proposal. Your proposal is a unique space to differentiate yourself from the competition. When a prospect asks for more information, typically a salesperson sends a google doc with raw numbers, small print, and terms and conditions. In other words, you're missing a critical marketing touchpoint where you can tell your story. The result? Your proposal will be dumped in the (virtual or physical) trash. Create a proposal that isn't just a series of words. You're pitching to a person, not a machine. There's a thought process behind it that can lead to a better and more personal proposal. Proposals that include images close at a higher rate. Nobody will read a 10-20 page document, but people will skim a proposal for the highlights. Framing your text with images will make it far easier to read. Including images and video makes for a more engaging and interactive experience that communicates the experience of actually working with the company. Other overlooked proposal elements:  Sometimes people will accept the first proposal they get, regardless of pricing or offerings. And even if there are discrepancies, there is a positive correlation between the speed of proposal delivery and closing rates. If you make a prospect wait two weeks for a proposal, they'll have already solved the problem or found a different solution. 16% of proposals are won within 5 minutes of it being sent, and 42% within 24 hours. If your prospect opens it twice, they're interested. But if they open it four or more times, the chance to close goes down. The great thing about the proposal file is that you can see proposal open rates and how many times people click through it. Proposal reviews, whether over-the-phone or in-person, with the prospect, lead to better closing rates because you can clarify points and directly address potential objections. Kyle's major takeaway? If you put more effort into sending a fast proposal (and still put effort into it) you'll edge out most of the competition. Check out proposify.com to check out the platform and their blog, which contains helpful sales and proposal information. You can also connect with Kyle directly on LinkedIn. Join Donald's Facebook group, The Sales Evangelizers, to find a community of people to share, reflect, and grow with on your sales journey. This episode is brought to you in part by Skipio. Are you sick of crickets? As a salesperson, the pain of reaching out with phone calls or emails and not receiving a response is real. But all text messaging is not created equal. 85% of people prefer text over email and phone calls because they want to engage in a conversation, not listen to bots. Be more like people and start having conversations that end in the conversions you want. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com. This course is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Certified Training Program, designed to help new and struggling sellers master sales fundamentals and close more deals. Help elevate your sales game and sign up now to get the first two modules free! You can visit www.thesalesevangelist.com/closemoredeals or call (561) 570-5077 for more information. We value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We'd love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for each episode you listen to!  Read more about sales or listen to audiobooks on Audible and explore their huge online library. Register now to get a free book and a 30-day trial. Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.

"Putting your proposals into some kind of a web-based platform, so that you can track the document opens and interactions, and then you'll be armed with this information. So you know when is the best time to reach out." - Kyle Racki in today's Tip 887 Do you know when is the best time to follow up? Join the conversation at DailySales.Tips/887 and learn more about Kyle and Proposify! Have feedback? Want to share a sales tip? Call or text the Sales Success Hotline: 512-777-1442 or Email: scott@top1.fm

As the crew takes the week off we rewind the clock and bring you an interview that Josh had with Proposify Co-founder and CEO Kyle Racki back in 2017. Kyle brings great knowledge of how to properly craft a message, and how to approach your target customer base in a way that will resonate with them. Even with 4 years since the interview took place there are many universal truths and tips that can help your business today.

Friday Fundamentals 130: Kyle Racki

Friday Fundamentals 130: Kyle Racki

In this episode of the Sales Hacker podcast, we welcome Kyle Racki, the co-founder and CEO of Proposify. This company gives sales leaders visibility and consistency in their closing. Proposify helps more than 10,000 sales teams around the world eliminate the frustration caused by the proposal process. They also recently sponsored the Sales Hacker Podcast. What You'll Learn Entrepreneurship isn't in your genesWhy it's hard to push back against your groupThe journey from freelancer to founderHow to create and maintain a competitive advantageSolving the innovator's dilemmaThe framework for leading a startup to successShow Agenda and TimestampsEntrepreneurship isn't in your genes [5:59]Why it's hard to push back against your group [7:15]The journey from freelancer to founder [10:43]How to create and maintain a competitive advantage [15:32]Solving the innovator's dilemma [18:31]The framework for leading a startup to success [20:45]Sam's Corner [26:56]

164. Kyle Racki

Summary Listen to how Kyle Racki and his co-founders have built a 100-person SaaS business from within an agency. Find out how they come up with the product, validated it, and how they separated resources from ongoing client projects. Learn how he’s managing a 50-person product team, and why they have just completely removed roadmaps […]

Greg Callahan, a Partner at Bain & Company, joins Collin Stewart on this episode of the Predictable Revenue Podcast. Greg is a member of Bain's Customer Strategy & Marketing practices, with a focus on B2B commercial excellence and growth strategy, and leads Bain's Account Planning and Sales Operations practices globally. Highlights include: why account planning is so important in the first place (1:30), how Greg does it differently (3:36), how to nail the fundamentals (15:40), how to prioritize accounts (35:32), the perfect account plan, broken down (40:08), and what leaders need to do to support their revenue org with account planning (1:00:47).   SHOW NOTES:  More on the land and expand model: Swimming upstream: how Proposify went from selling self serve deals to working with enterprise clients with CEO Kyle Racki   How to Get The Attention of Any Decision-Maker to Expand Your Sales Within An Enterprise Account  

Kyle Racki is the co-founder and CEO of Proposify, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, which currently serves more than ten thousand customers worldwide. He started his first business, a web design company, at age twenty-four and sold it after five years. Kyle has blogged extensively about his journey through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship and is the author of Free Trials (and Tribulations): How To Build A Business While Getting Punched In The Mouth. He lives in Halifax and loves spending time with his wife, Christina, and his three sons, Micah, Ty, and Theo.

Troy Angrignon shares his account management wisdom on this episode of the Predictable Revenue podcast. Troy has more than 25 years of experience as a sales leader and management consultant for companies selling into large accounts in multiple industries. Highlights include: what you need to know about someone before going for the meeting (4:19), capturing and sharing this knowledge (7:56), mapping a large account your company has sold into before (12:17), how to book a cold outbound meeting with a speaker during a virtual conference (17:09), nailing the first call you have with a decision-maker at a target account (20:28), how to prioritize a setlist of accounts (29:15), and the secret about CIOs (34:40).   SHOW NOTES:  Similar to Troy’s reverse-engineered and scaled approach, Michel Feaster also starts with a critical problem that is plaguing a particular persona to be the foundation for new software products she wants to build: The Framework For Creating a Product – And a Brand-New Category More on selling into large accounts: Swimming upstream: how Proposify went from selling self serve deals to working with enterprise clients with CEO Kyle Racki

Most people send boring and uninspiring business proposals. In today's episode, we uncover what makes a proposal standout and actually gets you business. CEO and co-founder of Proposify, Kyle Racki joins Katelyn Bourgoin to explain: How He Turned A Pain-Point Into A Business Who He Treated His Early Adopters Like Royalty The Psychology of a Great Proposal How To Understand the True Needs Of Your Customer And So Much More Kyle Racki is the co-founder and CEO of Proposify, a modern proposal writing SaaS platform. He's also the author of "Free Trials and Tribulations: How To Build A Business While Getting Punched In The Mouth" Twitter: https://twitter.com/kyleracki LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleracki/ Proposify: https://www.proposify.com/ Book: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07MV55NTV ---- Follow Katelyn on Twitter Get your Free Customer Ranking Calculator

On this week’s episode, we’re talking to Proposify’s CEO, Kyle Racki. Kyle is going to give us some steps from The State of Proposals 2020 Report so we know what it is about proposals that make people sign them. He’s also going to talk about some hot topics like RFPs, images and proposals, making it easy to buy from you, and the top performing proposal practices in business today.

How can you overcome the fear of exposure that comes along with sales? What's the best way to approach Linkedin BD? What's the difference between SMB and Enterprise sales practically? In this interview, that evolved into almost a therapy session, Kyle Racki is sharing his path from running an agency to becoming a SaaS founder. He is explaining in a simple and approachable manner how can we obtain a sales culture, no matter our background and apply it without fearing the exposure. Key takeaways: - How to do lead prospecting and start discussions confidently - Why offering value is the best sales technique and how to implement it effectively - How to find your way through different decision-makers within an enterprise The interviewee: Kyle is CEO of Proposify, a SaaS company based out of Canada that helps more than 8,000 sales teams eliminate the frustration caused by the proposal-process. . The interviewer: Aggelos Mouzakitis is the founder of Growth Sandwich. He created Growth Sandwich, back in 2017 with a sole vision: to help promising early-stage teams get their products to market in a solid manner. He has worked or trained more than 500 marketers and founders on how to get to the market with the right mix of tactics and a product that drives engagement and happiness. About Growth Sandwich: Growth Sandwich is the first European Product-led Go-to-Market Strategy agency. We specialise in helping SaaS products and businesses that operate in the subscription economy. Our approach is 100% customer-centric and we help post-Product/Market fit companies establish a repeatable selling motion and recurring revenues.

In my chat with Kyle, we dive deep into the beginning phases of starting a company. A SaaS company in particular. Kyle dives deep into all aspects of starting a SaaS company. He talks practically for the people that are interested in doing the same as he has. Hear exactly what it takes to get a successful SaaS company off the ground as Kyle has! Check out Kyle on Twitter @kyleracki Check out Proposify @ proposify.com

A podcast straight from the trenches of a startup, with co-founder and CEO of Proposify, Kyle Racki.   An Introvert's Approach to Sales: A Therapy Session, with Aggelos Mouzakitis | Ep 30   For entrepreneurs and founders, learning how to sell and close deals is as essential to the success of your business as the product or service itself.   In this episode of LTV, Kyle chats with Aggelos Mouzakitis about how to obtain a sales culture when you’re not a natural-born hustler, scaling a sales mentality to navigate enterprise deals, and Kyle’s unorthodox introduction to learning how to handle rejection and pitch with confidence.   The original show can be found here: https://bit.ly/2rUQLc2.

A podcast straight from the trenches of a startup, with co-founder and CEO of Proposify, Kyle Racki. 7 Surprising Sales Lessons I Recently Learned About Scaling to $10M ARR | EP 27 Scaling a business definitely isn’t for the weak—or those unwilling to abandon a failing process and start from scratch. On this episode of LTV, Kyle reflects on the eye-opening, thought-provoking, and sometimes counterintuitive lessons he’s learned overseeing the sales team at Proposify over the last six months.

A podcast straight from the trenches of a startup, with co-founder and CEO of Proposify, Kyle Racki. On this episode of LTV, Proposify CEO Kyle Racki tells the story of how the company grew from $0 to $7M in annual recurring revenue and all the lessons, obstacles, and triumphs along the way. This show is taken from the B2B SaaS Web Summit, and the conversation Kyle had with host Jeremy Chatelaine. The original show can be found at this link: https://bit.ly/2NqiZnc.

What exactly do you need to save time and get prospects to sign your training proposal?

On this edition of The Predictable Revenue Podcast, co-host Collin Stewart welcomes Kyle Racki, noted author and CEO of Halifax’s Proposify. In addition to leading Proposify’s growing team through fundraising rounds, the ups and downs of startup life, and a company-wide evolution to sell bigger deals, Kyle is a trained designer, former agency head, and noted author.  Throughout the pod, Collin and Kyle discuss Proposify’s move up market from servicing just small businesses to selling enterprise deals. Highlights include: Proposify...before moving up market (4:37), where did Proposify start price-wise to go up market? (7:49), Proposify’s initial sales team (11:29), the big changes (17:41), key realizations (24:24), re-training sales (33:24), the changes to customer success (40:38), and Proposify’s wins and mistakes (44:14).   Show notes https://aprildunford.com/obviously-awesome/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfGtw2C95Ms&t=14s https://www.amazon.com/Jobs-be-Done-Theory-Practice/dp/0990576744 https://www.proposify.com/blog/saas-moving-upmarket

In today’s podcast, Kyle Racki, founder of Proposify.com shares how he spends his time optimizing and innovating systems while his team runs the business. Listen in as Kyle shares about the Four Hour Work Week, creating repeatable systems, Gary V. and Free Trials (and Tribulations). It’s Not about the Four Hour Work Week   It's not that my business runs without me -  it's that it CAN.  If you're not running your business day-to-day, then you're probably not maximizing your opportunities. Design your business in such a way that it CAN operate without you. But at the same time, constantly work on the machine to keep optimizing. It's not about the four hour workweek, but instead, it’s having that freedom, that time and space to be able to be gone for weeks if you want to. But it’s also about having the opportunity to continue to innovate and optimize so you’re not leaving money on the table.  If I Had It To Do Over Again:  Creating a Repeatable System I’d ask myself: “why am I able to get results from my clients? What is it that I do - put that into a process or a system - that is actually repeatable?” Then, I’d hire people that are even more talented than me to work within that process. That way, I know our clients will get results and be well cared for. Then I’d put 80% or more of my efforts purely into sales and operations, innovating the systems. One Client, One Problem, One Outcome Offering one outcome, that solves one problem for one client is the simplest way to create a clear roadmap for marketing and service delivery. How painful the problem is, how valuable the outcome both determine how much you can charge for your service.  The simplicity of this approach makes it that much easier to train your team to deliver. Proposify Client Takes on Gary V. Proposify simplifies and streamlines the proposal process, offering a better and interactive experience for you, your prospects and eventually your customers.   Often CEO’s are so overwhelmed with work that they can’t actually get a proposal out fast enough. And then they’re losing business to their competitors because of it. One of our Proposify customers found themselves bidding against Gary V.’s agency - a kind of David and Goliath situation. But our client was able to send a proposal in about 20 minutes and Gary’s team asked for 2 weeks or something. Our client got the project. Moving From Doing to Managing Usually, new managers have to stumble and fail first - they have to overwork themselves. As CEO’s we have to give them the tools, systems, processes to create their own tools, systems, processes and hire their own people. Then lead them effectively. One of the biggest hurdles that for new managers is getting them to understand how to execute through others.    Free Trials (and Tribulations) My new book - Free Trials (and Tribulations) - came out in January, and there's a personal story in there that's a little bit unique -  about my upbringing and being raised in a cult and then leaving it. There was a lot of personal trauma that happened while trying to get Proposify off the ground.  I guess I tried to write it as a form of therapy for myself. And also maybe for others to just realize, okay, you're not alone. Everybody looks to others. And everybody acts like they're killing it. But really, most people are dying on the inside. And so this is a “you're not alone,” cathartic read for most people - not all doom and gloom. Final thoughts We can only be as successful as we believe we can. Entrepreneurs I talk to tend to limit their vision according to what they think as possible, as opposed to what may feel impossible (but they're committed to do it anyway). It’s important to understand what drives you and constantly push yourself forward, not from a place of grind - but from a commitment to maximizing your potential. Leave a review If you’re finding a lot of value from this podcast, please leave a review on iTunes!

A podcast straight from the trenches of a startup, with co-founder and CEO of Proposify, Kyle Racki. How We Demo Our Product to Leads at Proposify | Ep 25 Once a lead is qualified, they’re ready to see your product in action. But, not every prospect has the same pain, meaning a generic demo presentation just won’t cut it. Join me as I run through the exact demo process we use at Proposify, and explain how we ensure our prospects walk away intrigued and ready to buy. Read Kyle’s full-length blog post on our website here: https://bit.ly/2U18ysc

How confident did you feel about your last proposal ? How can you make them more powerful ?  Today we're talking all things proposals – from links, to pages you should focus on, to when to use (and avoid) automation. Today's guest is Kyle Racki, the CEO and co-founder of Proposify, a SaaS company that […]

A podcast straight from the trenches of a startup, with co-founder and CEO of Proposify, Kyle Racki. How to Compensate Your SaaS Sales Reps | Ep 22 Figuring out how to properly compensate your salespeople is one of the toughest challenges when building a scalable SaaS sales process.  In this episode of LTV, Kyle lays out the cold, hard numbers and provides a roadmap for structuring quotas and commissions for SaaS sales reps. Read Kyle’s full-length blog post on our website here: https://bit.ly/2SFtbcB. 

A podcast straight from the trenches of a startup, with co-founder and CEO of Proposify, Kyle Racki. How to Generate Leads and Land Deals for Your Enterprise SaaS Product | Ep 21 Landing an enterprise deal can mean hitting your entire revenue quota in one fell swoop. But are you prepared to handle the extremely long sales cycle, multiple stakeholders, and product customization typical of an enterprise SaaS deal?  Join Proposify CEO Kyle Racki and Director of Sales Daniel Hebert as they break down the mechanics of a complex sale from lead to close.  Read Kyle’s full-length blog post on our website here: https://bit.ly/2GkwWzf

A podcast straight from the trenches of a startup, with co-founder and CEO of Proposify, Kyle Racki. Should You Keep Rogue Salespeople On Your Team? | Ep 20 The rogue salesperson is a formidable force when it comes to bringing in revenue. But does their go-it-alone mentality have any place in modern sales teams characterized by teamwork and collaboration? Join Proposify CEO Kyle Racki and Director of Sales Daniel Hebert for part four of a five-part series on sales in SaaS as they discuss if the lone wolf salesperson is an endangered species or whether they still have some value to offer your company. Read Kyle’s full-length blog post on our website here: https://bit.ly/2LfRgWF.

A podcast straight from the trenches of a startup, with co-founder and CEO of Proposify, Kyle Racki. What to Look for in a Sales Enablement Manager | EP 18 A solid sales enablement strategy only works if it’s designed to address the major bottlenecks hindering a sales cycle from optimal functioning. In this episode of LTV, Kyle is joined by Proposify's director of sales, Daniel Hebert, as they clarify exactly who you want to hire in a sales enablement position depending on the unique challenges facing your sellers. Read Kyle's full-length blog post on our website here: https://bit.ly/2Ygr2WU.

Agency growth and success is hindered when leaders fail to remove themselves as linchpins of the business. How does getting out of the way help the business and the staff grow? What skills transfer over from running an agency to a tech startups?

Episode 171: Free Trials (and Tribulations) with Kyle Racki Today we are joined by Kyle Racki of Proposify, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Proposify is a company that helps thousands of companies improve their sales workflow and win new customers. Kyle has recently written a book, “Free Trials (and Tribulations),” and today we dive into his new book and learn more about Kyle’s experiences as an entrepreneur. Kyle is a really amazing guy who not only runs Proposify but is also an angel investor, speaker, and host of his own podcast. In the early 2000's he went from running a small digital agency to building his own software platform which eventually turned into Proposify.Don’t forget about the 2019 Two-Brain Summit, June 8-9 in Chicago! This year we have some amazing topics and guests for both you and your coaches. Click here to register and sign up now!Links:https://www.kyleracki.com/bookhttps://www.proposify.com/ Contact:https://www.kyleracki.com/https://www.facebook.com/kylesracki/https://www.instagram.com/kracki83/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj8Ote2En8j7RUYbaTcFaywhttps://medium.com/@kyleracki Timeline:1:05 – Introduction to Kyle Racki.4:01 – Taking the leap from an agency to entrepreneur.8:01 – Jumping off the cliff and going for it while starting a business.9:51 – How to shoulder risk effectively and stay calm in stressful situations.11:21 – Kyle’s upbringing as a Jehova Witness.15:26 – How Kyle’s experience as a Jehovah's Witness shaped who he is.17:20 – The process of raising money for a start-up business.20:13 – The importance of connections when a growing business like Proposify.23:10 – How to fire a client when it is a friend.25:26 – Focusing narrow and deep with a service-based business.28:23 – How to deal with competition through increased focus.31:29 – Identifying your top clients and serving them better.

Kyle Racki is the co-founder and CEO of Proposify, a multi-million SaaS that helps over 8000 sales teams to diversify the sales proposal process. He is also an angel investor and the author of the book "Free Trials and Tribulations. How to build a business while getting punched in the mouth." Kyle also runs his Podcast called “LTV with Kyle Racki”, where he discusses the challenges and victories of startup founders.

Today, I'm talking with Kyle Racki, the Founder and CEO of Proposify and author of the new book, Free Trials and Tribulations: How to Build a Business While Getting Punched in the Mouth.   Continuing the trend of recurring guests, Kyle first came on the podcast 2 years ago after Proposify went through a phase of hockey stick growth. In 2015, they went from $5k MRR to $75k and then they doubled in 2016. In the years since then, their growth has continued and they are now in the ballpark of $10 million ARR and recently closed an 8-figure round of funding. His business story is incredible, but when you learn his personal story it takes on a whole new meaning. In Trials and Tribulations, Kyle gives readers a transparent look into his personal life, from being shunned for leaving a religion he realized was a cult to dealing with divorce all while navigating the ups and downs of the entrepreneurial journey. Rather than just rehash the book though, in our chat we dig into an area I think is particularly relevant to listeners: how Kyle went from turning down a $1.5mm termsheet one year to closing an 8-figure Series A a few years later. We also dig deeper into how those “behind the scenes” challenges have shaped Kyle and how other founders can better cope with their own struggles. This is an interview I'd been looking forward to for a while, and I don't think it disappoints.

Today’s episode is with Kyle Racki, author of Free Trials (and Tribulations). Now, Kyle is the cofounder and CEO of Proposify, which is a SaaS company that currently serves more than 6,000 customers ... The post Free Trials (And Tribulations): Kyle Racki appeared first on Author Hour.

In this episode, CEO and founder of Proposify Kyle Racki joins us to share the story of how he transitioned from running an agency to running a fast-growing startup. You'll hear the pitfalls to avoid, some great advice for mitigating risk and a few pro tips on sending better proposals. ** About Kyle Racki** Kyle Racki is the CEO and Founder of Proposify, an angel investor, speaker, host of the LTV Podcast and author of his newest book: Free Trials and Tribulations - How To Build A Business While Getting Punched In The Mouth. He went from running a small digital agency back in the early 2000's to building a software platform as a side project that eventually turned into Proposify, a company that now serves over 6,000 businesses worldwide. ** Follow Kyle Online** Website: https://www.kyleracki.com/ Proposify: https://www.proposify.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kyleracki New Book: https://www.kyleracki.com/book/

Kyle Racki is the co-founder and CEO of Proposify, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Proposify currently serves more than six thousand customers worldwide. He started his first business, a web design company, at age twenty-four and sold it after five years. Kyle has blogged extensively about his journey through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, and was the subject of a 2016 article in Time Magazine.

Host Kyle Racki welcomes listeners to LTV, formerly Proposify Biz Chat. In this show, he’ll draw from his experiences of building SaaS company Proposify to frankly discuss the challenges of scaling a business, and offer wisdom to other entrepreneurs. Download now to learn more about upcoming episodes, and hear Kyle explain the rebranding of Proposify Biz Chat. See more: https://www.proposify.com/podcast  

Your prospect is emotionally ready to buy, but you’re not done. You can still lose the deal. How your prospects rationalize their decisions is key, and you need to make it easy for them to get answers to every detailed-oriented question that comes up during this stage in their buyer journey. That’s why we’ve invited Kyle Racki, CEO at Proposify, to share his secrets on how to present your recommendations to clients, answer their final questions, and keep them feeling safe with you and your team.

Kyle Racki is the co-founder and CEO of Proposify, a SaaS product that helps you create proposal documents, collaborate with your team and streamline your sales process so you can close deals faster. The Show Notes Proposify Price Intelligently Jonathan Down Kyle on Twitter Omer on Twitter Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to the podcast Leave a rating and review Follow Omer on Twitter Need help with your SaaS? Join SaaS Club Plus: our membership and community for new and early-stage SaaS founders. Join and get training & support. Join SaaS Club Launch: a 12-week group coaching program to help you get your SaaS from zero to your first $10K revenue. Apply for SaaS Club Accelerate: If you'd like to work directly with Omer 1:1, then request a free strategy session.

Kyle Racki is the co-founder and CEO of Proposify, a SaaS product that helps you create proposal documents, collaborate with your team and streamline your sales process so you can close deals faster.The Show NotesProposifyPrice IntelligentlyJonathan DownKyle on TwitterOmer on TwitterEnjoyed this episode?Subscribe to the podcastLeave a rating and reviewFollow Omer on TwitterNeed help with your SaaS?Join SaaS Club Plus: our membership and community for new and early-stage SaaS founders. Join and get training & support.Join SaaS Club Launch: a 12-week group coaching program to help you get your SaaS from zero to your first $10K revenue.Apply for SaaS Club Accelerate: If you'd like to work directly with Omer 1:1, then request a free strategy session.

This week I talk with Kyle Racki, Founder of Proposify! We talk about Kyle’s journey from quiet, artsy kid in high school to founder of a company aiming to hit $10M in annual revenue this year! Hear how focusing on a side project ultimately took a year and a half of no growth to doubling customers every month and lots of other interesting bits along the way. - http://founderchats.com - https://www.proposify.com - https://baremetrics.com

In order to achieve growth and success, leaders need to adopt innovative business ideas that will enable them to take their organizations to the next level. On this episode of #SellingWithSocial, you’ll hear a conversation I had as a guest on the Proposify Biz Chat podcast with Kyle Racki. In our discussion, I present several innovative business ideas that I’ve used to build my company, Vengreso from the ground up. You don’t want to miss this episode as I draw on my experience as the CEO and Founder of Vengreso, my background having spent 82 consecutive quarters in B2B sales, and leadership roles growing hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue annually. Make sure to catch this informative episode!   Stay ahead of the competition with innovative business ideas. As a leader, you are always on the lookout for ways to stay ahead of the competition. One of the best ways to achieve this objective is by embracing innovative business ideas from all corners of the marketplace. On this episode of #SellingWithSocial, I provide several concepts that will help leaders like you stand out and stay ahead of your competition. One of the topics I touch on is paying attention to the needs of your clients. Too often organizations assume that they have exactly what their clients need without doing the hard work of really studying what problems their clients face. While it doesn’t sound flashy and profound, when well executed, solving the problems your clients are desperate to address can set you apart from the competition. Hear more about solving your client’s needs and other innovative business ideas that will help you scale and grow your business on this episode! If you want to succeed, you need a direction! The primary reason why many business professionals never advance in their career or take their team to the next level is due to a lack of direction. Do you have a clear and focused direction that you and your team want to work toward? On this episode of #SellingWithSocial, I explain how I have led my team to embrace a new mindset that keeps us focused and striving toward a clear goal, what I’ve dubbed the “Road to 30 million.” By focusing on this goal, my team and I can stay on the same page and work to achieve this mission together. I firmly believe that every person, leader, and organization needs their own “Road to 30 Million” if they ever hope to make progress. Discover more helpful insights and innovative business ideas like this one on this episode! You need to fight distractions and stick to a plan. The biggest enemy of success and focus are distractions. While you might put all of your efforts into staying on task and accomplishing your goals, some form of distraction won’t be too far behind. What can leaders like you do to banish distractions and focus on innovative business ideas that will help your organization flourish? On this episode of #SellingWithSocial, I dive into this topic with Kyle Racki. My basic message is to hone in on your main objective and tune out anything that tries to get in the way. It isn’t always easy, I can attest to that, but if you can create a compelling objective, those distractions become less enticing! Discover more tips and insights that can help your business thrive on this episode! Learning to count the cost and making the tough decisions. Did you know that one of the most important and innovative business ideas is learning when to say “No?” As a leader, you’ve got to learn when it's the right time to go “All in” and when to let an opportunity pass by. This isn’t an easy skill to learn, it takes time, failure, and moments of success to learn. On this episode of #SellingWithSocial, you’ll hear as I discuss with Kyle about how we’ve refined our approach at Vengreso to stay in our area of expertise and fight the impulse to chase opportunities that seem too good to pass up. What lessons and insights can you come away with from our conversation? Find out on this compelling episode! Outline of This Episode [1:00] I introduce this special episode. [4:00] I tell the story of putting together the Vengreso team. [9:00] Bringing sales and marketing together. [14:00] The difficulty and success of bringing the Vengreso team together. [21:00] Where did the “Road to 30 Million” come from? [23:00] Creating a duplicatable, replicable, and scalable organization. [25:00] How does the Vengreso brand work? What is in the works? [28:00] Fighting distractions and sticking to a plan. [31:00] Counting the cost and making the tough decisions. Resources Mentioned https://www.proposify.com/podcast https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/smmworld/ https://www.inbound.com/ Connect with Mario! www.vengreso.com On Facebook On Twitter On YouTube On LinkedIn Subscribe to Selling With Social Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Play

Kevin Springer and Kyle Racki have been business partners for 10 years, having run an agency together before co-founding Proposify. Proposify has grown from a start-up into a successful SaaS company, and in 2017 alone, made some strong headway in the tech world.  

Kevin Springer and Kyle Racki have been business partners for 10 years, having run an agency together before co-founding Proposify. Together, they have grown Proposify from a start-up into a successful SaaS company, but they know that even the world’s best business leaders need a bit of coaching to help them along the way. In this interview, Kevin and Kyle discuss their experience working with a business coach, how having an outside perspective has increased Proposify’s engagement internally between different teams, and the best steps to finding the right business coach for you.

Kevin Springer and Kyle Racki have been business partners for 10 years, having run an agency together before co-founding Proposify. As a serial entrepreneur, Kevin has a wealth of knowledge and experience to lead the Proposify sales team to greatness. In this interview, Kevin and Kyle talk about Proposify’s sales process, why you need a ‘sales toolbox’, and the importance of staying inspired. They also discuss why you need to drill down to specifics about what you’re offering, and using value propositions in sales.

Kyle Racki is the founder and CEO of Proposify, a software-as-a-service company currently doing seven figures in annual recurring revenue. Proposify allows companies to make better proposals faster to win more business. When Kyle launched Proposify in 2013, he and his co-founders almost gave up in their first year but despite enormous challenges, they now have 2,500 paying customers. He dedicates most of his time to product design, management and customer support, and doing his best to make Proposify all that it can be. He has been an entrepreneur for over 10 years and has lived with hustle, tenacity and resilience. He shares what he has learnt and what he continues to learn every day because he wants to help other entrepreneurs succeed. He does that through his blogs, videos, speaking and his upcoming book on building a SaaS business. Period in full-time business At age 24, he became a freelancer and a while later started a small web design agency with a guy he had met in the agency world. They ran the business for 5 years before starting Proposify which has been in operations for the last 3 years. They sold the agency in 2014 and also raised a seed round of funding for Proposify. The Journey He never thought he would be an entrepreneur and was in fact terrified of it. Core revenue streams Proposify is a software-as-a-service business. People sign up for a free trial of their proposal software and later they can opt for different pricing plans based on how many proposals one writes. Each pricing plan also has a range of features. So far they have 5,000 paid accounts and retention is very good. Starting out in business Kyle says everything he has done so far in business was not planned. He was freelancing in 2008, doing web design and development, but he got lonely and decided to get a business partner. Together they started their agency. Getting the first set of clients for the agency His business partner already had a few clients but they struggled a lot in trying to get clients. They did well in the first year, maintained low overheads and they got several good projects. They also struggled with their growth after the first year because they couldn't effectively manage the volatility of the business. Core agency products Kyle says that social media and digital marketing were there but very new. They used to do a lot of web design, UX work and online marketing. One of the problems they noted with the agency is that they didn't have a speciality. They never focused on a niche so they were stuck competing with local companies for smaller contracts. Tip: When starting a service business especially a creative one, you need to specialise in one thing. Starting Proposify When he was employed and freelancing, he used to write proposals and as he was freelancing he came up with the idea for a SaaS product for proposal management. He didn't have any coding skills but created its wireframe and shelved it for several years. In the process of running their agency, they started getting tired of chasing clients for payments among other issues. They really desired to transition into a SaaS business and tried out different SaaS products which didn't work. That's when they started discussing the proposal SaaS idea and they decided to go into it. Developing a SaaS product Kyle was not skilled in building a SaaS product but he knew how to create the interface. As they were developing different SaaS products, they built a team of developers internally. They got a grant to hire a developer who worked on the Proposify idea for one year. The developer is now the CTO. They got the grant from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) after they pitched their early stage prototype at an event. They also got an investment from another government-related organization which put in $250,000. Tip: To get funding, go to start-up events where they let you pitch or demo your idea. It's better than looking up

In this episode, Tim is joined by Kyle Racki of SaaS company Proposify to discuss how they have grown their organic visibility using blogs and content marketing to the stage that they’re picking up 200-300 signups per day, and growing 150% per year. Kyle takes us through his outreach process, gives us his advice for choosing where you want to be featured online, and how they found the content topic ‘goldmines’ that brought them in the most qualified traffic and leads. For https://exposureninja.com/episode44show notes go to https://exposureninja.com/episode44

Find yourself struggling when putting together proposals for your business? Do you wish you could streamline the process and increase your close rate? Writing proposals isn't typically a favorite activity. Most businesses use a boiler plate, and fail to customize each proposal they send out. Using a tool like Proposify can make proposal writing easier and help you close more deals. This week on the Social Media Social Hour, I discuss how to create proposals that close with Kyle Racki. Let's do this!

Kyle Racki, co-founder and CEO of Proposify. He’s passionate about design, SaaS, and marketing. He loves jamming out to 90s covers/tunes at open mic nights, and also has the unique ability to work in perfectly, cromulent Simpsons’ references to any conversation. Famous Five: Favorite Book? – Lean Analytics What CEO do you follow? –  Alex Turnbull Favorite online tool? — Heap Analytics Do you get 8 hours of sleep?— Sometimes If you could let your 20-year old self, know one thing, what would it be? – “That it’s all going to be okay and…I’m going to give myself a hug”   Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:40 – Nathan introduces Kyle to the show 02:24 – Proposify is a SaaS business and it helps people streamline their sales and close more deals 02:40 – Average customer pay per month is $40-$50 02:53 – Current number of customers 03:10 – Average MRR 03:25 – Proposify was launched in 2013 03:35 – Proposify had less than $1000 MRR for 17 months 04:03 – Kyle and his co-founder had an agency 04:22 – Kyle raised $250K in seed capital from a local investor 04:39 – Kyle and his team’s pay is around $60K a month during that time 05:40 – Team size is 15 and are located in Halifax, Canada 06:20 – Kyle shares how the startup market is in Halifax 06:50 – Known startup companies from Halifax 07:24 – Kyle does weekly phone calls with customers to check in on them 07:50 – Kyle shares how one of their customers beat VaynerMedia in a proposal 09:15 – How Proposify creates proposals in a flash 09:40 – Proposify’s competition 10:04 – Proposify is more focused on the digital agency space 11:25 – Average number of new customers per month 11:50 – Proposify has a free and no-credit card sign-up 12:00 – Proposify does inbound sales, but organic search is the biggest source of traffic 12:43 – Best podcast that drives Proposify’s traffic 13:05 – Proposify has a general marketing budget 13:28 - $10K for paid marketing 13:45 – CAC is quite low 14:18 – LTV 14:40 – Gross monthly customer churn 15:00 – Proposify currently has 2 sales people 15:35 – Other system Kyle uses for business intelligence is Heap Analytics 16:16 – Total 2015 revenue is $551K 17:11 – Proposify is profitable and continually growing 18:30 – “We’ll always entertain acquisition offers if it makes sense” 19:00 – The process Kyle will go through if there’s a possible acquisition 19:47 – Number of Proposify’s developers 20:00 – Connect with Kyle through their website and help Kyle look for Proposify.com’s owner and he’ll pay you 22:00 – The Famous Five   3 Key Points: There’s a temptation to spend VC money; be decisive when you want to raise capital and stick to your goals. Organic traffic is good, but getting paid marketing can still drive more traffic and customers. There are a lot of things to consider in an acquisition – it should match your personal goals, be a cultural fit, and the numbers need to make sense.   Resources Mentioned: Acuity Scheduling – Nathan uses Acuity to schedule his podcast interviews and appointments Drip – Nathan uses Drip’s email automation platform and visual campaign builder to build his sales funnel Toptal – Nathan found his development team using Toptal for his new business Send Later. He was able to keep 100% equity and didn’t have to hire a co-founder due to the quality of Toptal Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for the cheapest price possible. Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he’s driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5-hour drive) to listen to audio books. The Top Inbox  – The site Nathan uses to schedule emails to be sent later, set reminders in inbox, track opens and follow-up with email sequences Proposify.biz – Kyle’s business website Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Today, I'm talking with Kyle Racki, Co-Founder and CEO of Proposify, a SaaS startup based in Halifax, Nova Scotia that helps digital agencies and freelancers create beautiful proposals in the browser, streamline their sales and get faster client sign-off When Kyle and his partner started with proposify, growth was slow which is something I'm sure most founders can relate to. However, in 2015 the hit the proverbial hockey stick growth and their MRR shot from $5k to $75k, a 15 times improvement. And last year, they doubled. In this interview, Kyle shares the long grind that lead to their so-called overnight success, how they have sustained such a massive rate of growth, and actionable advice to help you apply some of those same strategies in your startup

Sometimes lead generation seems to be this magical thing that just happens with no science behind it. For agencies, lead gen is typically through word of mouth and referral. So how can they make a repeatable system with something they don’t directly influence? In this episode, and in his blog post How Agencies Can Create a Repeatable System For Generating Leads, Kyle Racki (Co-Founder and CEO at Proposify) explains the psychology and tactics behind creating a repeatable lead generation system.

Kyle Racki of Proposify shares his story of growing an in-house software product while running a digital agency. Kyle explains how he and his business partner built Proposify while simultaneously […] The post 010 Building a Product In-House – Kyle Racki of Proposify appeared first on The Creative Agency Podcast.

Have you ever thought of developing your own product - or have already developed one - but have found that the client work is distracting you from finishing? In today's episode, I talk with Kyle Racki about how your agency can create a product without killing it before it even gets started and how to upgrade any established product development processes. Product Development for Your Agency Kyle is a designer, blogger, technologist, and entrepreneur from Canada who ran his own web design agency for five years. During that time, he had several failures. Four to be exact. He then sold the agency and is now CEO and co-founder of Proposify. Let's build a product! Being a service agency is tough. You have to deal with cash flow, invoicing, revenue, etc. All these make building a product even more attractive. But don't be fooled, Kyle warns, “building a product while servicing clients is hard.” Hard, but not impossible. Ask before you build. Don't just start wire-framing the second you get an idea. Get out and start talking to people! You need to get product market validation and customer development before you start building. Start by talking to people you don't know. Lots of people. Hundreds, if you can. You want to make sure you're building a product that actually solves a problem and that people will actually pay for. Things to ask: What is your biggest challenge? What solutions have you found to the challenge? Are you willing to pay for a solution? I promise, it's way better to find out no one wants or needs your product before you start spending money and building it. Dedicate people to work on the product. If you can, resist the temptation to make building the product an add-on to someone's job. Think about it: your developer just spent four days coding for client projects and now has to switch over to working on your product. You're going to lose time on ramp up. Not to mention, paying clients will always come first. So without having a dedicated person to work on the product, you'll find yourself putting it on the back burner. Take it from me, if I had the chance to do it over again at my agency, I absolutely would have hired a dedicated person for product development. The investor route. Startups are expensive and not all agencies make enough profit on services to also fund building a new product. Kyle went with an investor to fund his product but there are lots of options, like incubators or crowdfunding. There are also VC's, but Kyle cautions that venture capitalist funding may be hard to get if you haven't made the full leap into being a product company. Some investors want to know you're fully committed to the product and not just moonlighting. Tinkering versus actually building. Make sure you do your homework! The grass isn't always greener on the product side, so learn the metrics of what you're getting into. And there's nothing wrong with tinkering. Use your service-based role to get to know your customers and to become really knowledgeable about your niche. Learn their pain points so you can make the kind of product that will actually make a difference. Proposify offer for listeners! Proposify is a cloud-based proposal management system and the product of Kyle “scratching his own itch.” Putting out proposals, responding to RFPs, and keeping track of all of them is daunting. Proposify helps agencies simplify the entire process so you don't have to spend forever putting together proposals. Smart Agency Master Class listeners can sign up for the free 14-day trial of Proposify and get 3 months free with promo code "JASONSWENK". Simply upgrade at the end of the 14-day trial. Growing Your Agency Having the right product development processes established within your agency could be the helping hand you need in getting your product off the ground. Now the next question is, what other challenges are you facing? I have probably experienced all the different struggles for an agency owner through my own experience and I can help you from what I learned. From what to do with your sales processes, ways to increase your profit margins or how you can build authority for your agency. I can tell you the best ways to stop losing money on projects, why performance based pricing can be the best pricing strategy for your agency as well as why including remote working or freelancers in your team can be beneficial in the long run. You can learn more about my career and different experiences as well as tips, tricks and insights by checking out my blogs that cover a wide variety of topics. Find more from my Ask Swenk series and more of my videos on my Youtube channel. There you will find advice from myself and other agency experts.